Live axle having driving wheels



May 7, 1929. P, 5 1,712,155

. LIVE AXLE HAVING DRIVING WHEELS Filed Dec. 6, 1927 1 2 sheets-Sheet 1P. H. MISTRAL LIVE AXLE HAVING DRIVING WHEEL'S May 1; 1929.

2 Shees-$heet 2 Filed Dec. 6, 1927 V. vgyraa Patented May 7, 1929.

PAUL HENRI MISTRAL, OF BOUIOGNE-SUR-SEINE, FRANCE.

LIVE AXLE HAVING DRIVING WHEELS.

Application filed December 6, 1927,'Seria1 No. 238,186, and in. TranceDecember 7,1928

' The present invention has for its object a live axle provided with adifferential but having four driving wheels, two of which are secured'onthe shafts of the planetary gears and the other two are secured on theshells of the differential and are not sub-'- jeeted to the influence ofthe latter,

since they are rigid with each other. 7

As these four wheels can vary in the verti' cal direction, it is thuspossible to cause either the outer wheels alone to bear on the ground,or the central Wheels, thus leaving the weight of the vehicle to besupported by the outer wheels or by the central wheels, or

again by the four wheels at the same time.

understood, the device forming the.subjectmatter of the presentinvention is illu'strated, but by way of example only, in the.

accompanying drawing in which:'

Fig. 1 is a general plan view. I

Fig. 2 is a rear view with the central wheels raised and the outerwheels alone acting as carrying. wheels.

Fig. 3 is a rear view with the outer wheels raised and the centralwheels on the ground for ensuring the propulsion. I v

Fig. 4 is a side view with operating levers (the central wheels beingraised). v

Fig. 5 is a side view with the central wheels lowered.

This apparatus is substantially composed of a live axle secured on aframe A and driven by a driving shaft 1 provided with a Cardan joint 2and actuating a bevel gear 3 meshing with the gear on the shell 4 of thedifferential 5.

On the planet wheels of this differential 5 are mounted the shaftsprovided with Cardan joints .6 and 6", "Z and 7- whichactuate the outerwheels 8 and 8.

I might also be driven by'chains.

The latter The ends of the shell 4 of the differential fixedly carry thewheels 9 and 9 which are consequently rigid with each other.;

The lever 10 causes the wheels 8 and 8 to move vertically through thejoints B, B, B

,and B I v v The lever 11 causesthe entirelive axle to move as well asthe wheels 9 and Qthrough the jointsB 13 ,13 8 i The operation is asfollows: When a motor vehlcle, car, lorry, or tractor provided with thislive axle runs on a hard road, the outer. driving wheels, 8 and 8 ingthe ground,but on a soft ground, it frequently happens thatthe'resistance encountered by the wheels 8 and 8 not being equal, one ofthem is immobilized and the other skids on the spot owing to theoperation of.

vehicle will then bury into the ground the projections ofxthe centralwheels and will give, from this fact,"the necessary adherence,corresponding tothe con dition' of the r ground, thus correcting theeffects of the differential; owing to their position at the rear of thecenter of thelive axle, the wheels and two central driving-wheelssecured onthe shell of the differential and consequently rigid withrespect ,to each other. i

2. A live axle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connection between theouter wheels and the differential embodies relae tively movable parts topermit of the verti cal variationof the central wheels with re s spectto the outer Wheels to herebyl allow the weight of the vehicle to besupported by the outerwheels alone or by the central wheels or by thefour wheels atthe same time. Y

. of the lever 10, he will raise more or less-the .outerywheels 8 and 8.The weight of the 185 j 8 and 8' prevent the vehicle from rising 1ninclines and. upon sudden startmgs.

65, are sufficient for the propulsion and the 'wheels 9 and'9 idlyrotate without touch- 3. A live axle as claimed in claim 1, tween thelongitudinal axis of the central 'wherein the outer Wheels are arrangedWheels relative to the outer Wheels substanslightly rearwardly of thecentral Wheels tiztlly as and for the purposes set forth. 10 and.Wherein the connection between the The foregoing specification of mylive i 5 outer Wheels and differential is such that axle having fourdriving wheelsfisigned by when the central Wheels are being adjustedmethis 25th day of November, 1927. e

a variation isefiected in theclistance be- 7 PAUL HENRI MISTRAL.

